It sounded crazy when mentioned a couple of weeks back, but now reality has begun to set in. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have somehow found a way to alienate tight end O.J. Howard from their offense. The former 1st round pick has been targeted a total of 14 times in five games. Despite ongoing assurances that they plan to get him more involved, the evidence suggests otherwise. Head coach Bruce Arians has a long history of not utilizing the tight end much in his offenses. Thus with the trade deadline approaching, the Chicago Bears suddenly have a window of opportunity.
It's no secret the team has problems at tight end. Trey Burton and Adam Shaheen have combined for just 18 catches this season. Neither has been able to stay healthy since the start of training camp and neither is flashing a lot in the passing game. Given how important tight end is this type of offense (see Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz), it's yet another reason why the Bears haven't been able to find a consistent rhythm to move the football or score points.
A talent like Howard is everything they could hope for and apparently there's a growing buzz that the Buccaneers might actually make him available according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report.
Chicago Bears would need a lot of luck to get Howard
There is no doubt that Howard has the capability to be a game-changer at tight end. He's 6'6, 251 lbs and can run almost like a wide receiver. Catching the ball comes naturally to him. At just 24-years old, there is a long career still ahead of him as well. So there is every incentive for the Bears to consider making a push to try for a trade. Unfortunately, there are two notable obstacles that may prove too difficult to overcome.
#1 - Price
Demands for tight ends are higher than ever in this NFL. There is no question the Bears won't be the only team in on Howard as the deadline approaches. This will inevitably drive up the price tag to get him. If the Miami Dolphins were able to secure 1st round picks for Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick, it's hardly a stretch to imagine the Buccaneers can do the same with Howard given his age and lack of injury history. That creates an issue since the Bears don't have a 1st rounder to offer, having already lost it in the Khalil Mack trade.
#2 - Conference
Trading within the conference is hardly anything new. However, it's likely the Buccaneers may wish to get Howard as far away from them as possible if they do trade him. That means dealing him to an AFC team. Not only are the Bears in the same conference, the NFC, they're also competing with Tampa Bay for one of the wild card spots in the playoff race. Why would the Bucs willingly send a talented player to the potential competition? There's no logic to it unless the Bears were to pay a high price.
All things considered, anything is possible. The Bears might get lucky if they offered one of their 2nd round picks in 2020. Perhaps other teams might try to lowball their own offers. Still, smart money says the price tag and poor timing will keep this deal from happening.
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